Patriots Journal: QB pickup no surprise to Mallett

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — For a backup quarterback, Ryan Mallett’s name has been in the news quite a bit this offseason.In the day leading up to the draft, Mallett was rumored to be heading to the Houston Texans....

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — For a backup quarterback, Ryan Mallett’s name has been in the news quite a bit this offseason.

In the day leading up to the draft, Mallett was rumored to be heading to the Houston Texans. The speculation that the Patriots would trade the 25-year-old was heightened the next day, when the team drafted Eastern Illinois quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in the second round.

Mallett, who was supporting Tom Brady’s Best Buddies Challenge at Harvard Stadium on Friday night, said that despite all the rumors, this offseason has been routine.

“It’s been easy for me,” Mallett said. “I’ve been working out trying to get better every day. I mean, it hasn’t been any different for me than any other offseason.”

Last week, Brady said that he wasn’t surprised when the Patriots drafted another quarterback. It certainly made sense, considering that Mallett is set to become a free agent in 2015. Mallett echoed Brady’s sentiments and said he wasn’t surprised when the Pats called Garoppolo’s name.

“No, not at all,” Mallett said. “I mean, we’re always going to make our team better. There’s always competition on that team and we know that. That’s not a big deal.”

Mallett has played behind Brady since the 2011 season. He said he hasn’t changed anything as he heads into the final season on his contract, and that his mentality has always been “to get better every day” and when his number is called, to “be ready.”

If he’s still with the Patriots by August, his number will surely be called during the preseason. It’s up to him to show the other 31 NFL teams that he’s ready to be a starting quarterback.

“I feel good,” Mallett said. “I’m in pretty good shape. We’re getting better every day and you know, it’s all we can do right now.”

Best Buddies Challenge

On Friday, Brady held his annual “Tom Brady Football Challenge” to support the Best Buddies Challenge at Harvard Stadium.

Along with Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, Jerod Mayo and Mallett, Brady played a game of touch football with several supporters of the Best Buddies program. Brady, who turns 37 in August, said he’s feeling good.

“I feel great. I try to really stay in shape, especially this time of year,” Brady said. “You’ve got to put the work in an advance and you have to pay the price early. I’m trying to impart that on my younger teammates, but this is a really important time of the year to prepare yourself to play a long season.”

It’s still early in the offseason program, and Brady said he’s enjoyed Garoppolo and all the new players on the team.

“He’s a really nice kid. He’s a great guy,” Brady said. “And all the guys we have, all the new guys, have really come in and hopefully they can come in and play a role on our team.

“We’ve got a long way to go so, I mean, it’s only been a couple of days. Where a long ways from the season and we’re going to need all the practices we can get.”

Browner brings size

The last game Brandon Browner played in was on Nov. 10, 2013.

The cornerback spent the final eight games of the season suspended after he violated the league’s substance-abuse policy. Browner will also miss the first four games of this upcoming season, but said Friday that that’s not his focus.

“I don’t care what nobody thinks of me. That’s in the past,” Browner said. “I look forward to playing for the Patriots.”

The 6-foot-4 Browner brings some welcome size into the Patriots’ secondary. After the first week of organized activities, the cornerback said he liked what he saw from the group.

“I think we got a good group here with the additions of [Darrelle] Revis. [Devin] McCourty is a good football player,” Browner said. “With the young players we got here we should be good.”

No guarantees

Kenbrell Thompkins went from unknown undrafted free agent to starter on the Patriots’ offense last season.

As the wide receiver enters his second stint with the Pats, he knows he’s not in a position to get comfortable. With the addition of Brandon LaFell, Thompkins knows his spot on the team isn’t guaranteed.

“I think everybody’s out here fighting, trying to keep their spot,” Thompkins said. “We all get out here competing, pushing each other, trying to get better. That’s all we can do right now.”